To Earn A Kiss
by TheBattyWhiteCrow
Summary: Set before the events of Thor, follow the story of Raforta, the plucky barmaid of Asgard. Or rather, the misadventures that ensue after Loki and Thor bet who can steal a kiss first. Thing is, Raforta is, shall we say.. Quirky.


"Well now!" The barmaid gave a wide, flirtatious sort of grin, settling both palms upon the creaking table, "Both of the princes of Asgard in MY tavern." She purred with a wicked smile dancing across her beautiful features, "This must be some occasion."

She was a stunning sight, with softly curling dark brown hair pulled from her features, resting contentedly in a twisted style at the back of her head. Locks of lengthened strands rebelliously tore themselves from their confines, dripping down her neck in softly swaying waves. Her dark bangs slid into her honeyed eyes, speckled endlessly with touches of chocolate.

Her ears were adorn with wings of white wire, the designs cresting along the ridges, the base of the wings dangling a length of thin chain, suspending a drop of sparkling glass. The dancing fire light of the warm tavern glittered and reflected upon the simple glass. She wore a white and ruffled shirt that fell from her shoulders, the sleeves shortly ending before her elbow with tied lace and loose movement.

The woman wore a leather corset piled over the blossoming white, laced up the front graciously with a black leather cord that ended in a large and intricately tied bow. Across her hip laid a thick, heavy belt, the golden buckle shimmering with a proud nature. At her waist she wore a darkly plaid skirt that fell to her heels, revealing black Asgardian boots that glided up her endless legs adoringly.

A second skirt of a dark green was of a shorter, lighter fabric, tied at her hip, one edge hanging free to fall to her knee, and the other pulled upwards, lovingly tucked into her belt. Upon her chest she bore a crystal necklace suspended from an irregular chain, where silver wrappings clutched the softly blue stone.

Her spread fingers on the polished table were dripping with rings and curling wires, a glittering mass of intricate beauty. It gave one the sense that they could entertain themselves endlessly, merely by examining the treasures adorning her slender finger tips.

"Indeed it is, for my brother and I have vanquished the scourge of the seas, the sea serpent, Bastile!" Thor boasted proudly, beaming widely at the brunette standing before him.

"Ah, so Asgard has one less fiendish creature prowling its borders?" She lifted her hands, a warm sort of smile crossing her features as she turned, snatching two drinks from a fellow barmaid, resting them firmly before the two brothers with a solid thunk, "First drink's on me then, Hero." She proclaimed with a smart wink before turning on her heel, departing for the other tables that demanded her attention.

"Who is that beautiful woman?" The blonde man demanded, lovestruck.

"Her?" Loki scoffed, shaking his head at the woman's back disapprovingly, "You had best turn your eye elsewhere, brother." He advised, turning his bored attention to the drink set before him.

"And just why is that?"

"She's delusional." Loki informed shortly, taking a drink of the honeyed mead.

Thor laughed heartily at the thought, gesturing to the woman across the tavern with a large hand, "She seems sane enough to me." He argued, lifting the mug of honeyed mead set before him.

"That's the honey in the trap." Loki elaborated, setting the drink down with a firm thunk, "As she puts it, she 'despises liars'." He informed with a pointed look, as if that was more than enough to forever avoid the barmaid.

"Despises liars, huh?" Thor gave a huge grin, shaking his head with a short laugh at the thought, "I think you'll find that most people don't particularly enjoy being lied to."

"The extent she hates it is.. unnatural."

The room shook with boisterous laughter for quite some time before Thor could manage to retort, "It's perfectly natural!" He proclaimed between hearty chuckles, "Can you tell me one person who desires to be deceived, even in the slightest?"

"Everyone." Loki proclaimed simply, "You cannot pretend to not know how often harmless, little white lies occupy EVERY conversation. Decidedly hating someone because they claimed her 'Stunningly beautiful' is madness." Loki continued, scoffing with a pointed look around the crowded room, "Everyone tells their fair share of falsehoods when the need suits them. I'm just the one renown for it."

Thor gave an incredibly smug grin, leaning forward on the table expressively, "It sounds like you're bitter that she's rejected your company, brother."

"Further proof of her delusional state." Loki dismissed with an unamused expression, scowling at the barmaid's back as she strode confidently down the thin paths allowed in the absence of the creaking tables, tray adorn in an array of mugs filled with alcohol.

"Ha!" Thor bellowed in laughter, "So much for that silver tongue of yours!"

"I could get a kiss from her, if I desired it." Loki promised confidently, scowling at the accusation sharply.

"You?" Thor raised both eyebrows in bluntly mocking interest, " _The Lie Smith_? How do you imagine that someone with your title would earn a kiss from a woman who _despises_ liars?"

"I could get her to kiss me long before you could." Loki threw back sharply, directing a challenging grin to his brother across the table.

"Shall we wager that?" Thor pressed with a confident glare decorating his handsome features.

"Should prove an interesting game." Loki supposed, lifting the mead in thought, smirking softly before taking a short drink, "Since this is a competition now," He allowed, lowering the drink to address Thor, "I believe that we should participate on the same knowledge. Her name is Astrid."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Haill, Astrid" A strong voice sounded from behind the rather immensly busy barmaid. Raising her eyebrows, Raforta turned in interest, the tray's contents shifting softly against one another in the gently swaying movement. "I do not believe we have formally-" The towering man continued with a charming beam, a confident air settled about him that quite simply seemed to draw others in, in a welcome, openly charismatic nature.

Chuckling warmly, Raforta nodded her head towards the crowded tables, gesturing to the swaying drunks adorning the tarnished furniture, "I think you're looking for someone else, Hero." She continued, glancing back at Thor with a soft smile glancing across her red lips, "My name's Raforta." She informed simply, thoughtfully regarding one of the well known princes of Asgard.

Thor turned a rather bright crimson, directing a venomous glare back at the table, where his dark haired brother was quite busy trying to hid laughter behind a mug of mead. "Ah, my apologies." He muttered, glaring shortly at the chuckling man across the tavern for a moment before turning back to the woman before him. Raforta laughed softly, fingers shifting beneath the metal tray absently, "Well, I wish you luck on finding this, Astrid of yours. Lovely name, really. Tell her I said so." Raforta joked with a knowing sort of smirk dancing across her features.

The man was a large one, with chiseled muscle showing proudly at every opportunity. As one would expect, the armor he wore was tailored for him specifically, as all rather high ranking people of import tended to have. It was an impressive build, with sleeves of plated iron that likely weighed more than Raforta did. Thor seemed to take no notice, caring little for the weight of the armour piled high with metal and leather.

"I'll make sure to pass the message along." He chuckled, turning his back to Raforta, shaking his head at the trick at his expense. Raforta laughed softly, turning on her heel to address the roaring tables that demanded her attention.


End file.
